An Invitation
by Dyna Dee
Summary: Heero reflects on his life and he finds himself twentyyears old and bored. Then one day, out of the blue, comes a strange card in the mail, an invitation, but to what?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own much of anything, much less the GW boys, so of course, it stands to reason that I don't make a dime while attempting to bring you some free reading material and hopefully, pleasure.

The Invitation

By: Dyna Dee

Warning: A rather wordy romance. Shounen ai. Heero's POV. And for those of you who don't like a happy ending, don't bother reading this.

Taking in a methodically slow and deep breath, Heero Yuy held it for several moments before carefully letting it out at a pace regulated to help him find his center. He was desperately trying to hide the fact that he was bored beyond belief and fighting a large yawn. His deception was important as he presently stood in front of a room filled with important people, on a raised platform, and acting as a guard for Relena who sat at the table placed front and center. The entire group of men and women of varied ages and were dressed in expensive business suits. The people on the stand were important and honored guests and speakers at the symposium for the Earth and Colony Trade Association. He supposed that the dry topics and long-winded speakers expounding on one point or another regarding their trade was of importance to someone, but Heero found it to be as interesting as a dull gray rock.

Despite his boredom he managed to maintain a stoic appearance. He was, after all, well known and easily recognizable as bodyguard to the young girl who held the honorary position of being the public relations figurehead to the United Earth and Colonies' Foreign Minister, Milliardo Peacecraft, her brother. 

Mill, as Heero was asked to call the statuesque blond man, had been appointed to the post when the Earth Sphere and Colony Alliance had fully organized and deemed Relena too young and inexperienced for the post she'd temporarily held. The former soldier had been wise in realizing the people of Earth and the Colonies admired the young girl who had been thrust into the war by special circumstances and loss. He immediately retained his sister to be his assistant and more or less had her acting as the public relations decoy. Relena's new job required her to attend one boring meeting after another, taking a tape recorder with her to record each meeting and later writing a synopsis of the proceedings which she gave to Zechs in order for him to review and act on if necessary. 

So far, Relena's position proved to be a brilliant strategy on the part of her brother. While she maintained the foreign ministry's public face, it freed Milliardo from the many hours of public appearances that would normally take him away from the necessary paper work and important negotiations done behind the scenes. The job worked well for Relena also. It kept her current of the conditions between the Earth and the colonies and allowed her a forum for her pacifist ideals while she lived and worked in close proximity to a brother she'd spent most of her life completely unaware of his existence.

A less than enthusiastic round of applause signaled the end of yet another boring speech by a well-intentioned but dry businessman/politician. As the Master of Ceremony stood once again, Relena turned around in her seat to give Heero a sincere look of apology. She knew how much he hated these types of functions.

The crowd laughed at some witticism the Mayor of New York gave in introducing the next guest speaker. Heero mentally groaned at the name of the next person due to speak and resisted the urge to roll his eyes; a mannerism he'd picked up from Duo during the war. The older woman being introduced was well known and regrettably seemed to show up to many of the business and political functions he and Relena attended. He watched as she stood from her place at the table in front of him and made her way to the rostrum. All eyes in the room watched her progress. She was a short, silver haired, middle aged woman with a plump figure that was camouflaged by the pink and white floral dress that looked like a feminine version of a wearable tent.

It wasn't as if he didn't like the woman, on the contrary, he found her to be genuinely sweet and sincere. But Mrs. Rosalinda Santiago, the wife of the ruling governor of L-3, loved to tell stories. Now stories in and of themselves could be pleasant; however, Mrs. Santiago's stories didn't always have a point. She recalled people's names as if the whole audience were acquainted with them, told their gynecological history, which no one ever seemed to be interested in, and her long descriptive tales seem to center around individuals that no one in the audience had the slightest inkling about who they were. To top it off, she usually got lost half way through a story and wound up speaking about someone other than the original person she'd referred to.

Once again he used the breathing techniques Wufei had taught all of the gundam pilots during the war. This time he used them to center himself in an effort to push down the growing irritation he felt rising within his chest and to keep from following the urge to alleviate that pressure, by getting the hell out of there. His growing agitation was something he'd deemed non-productive and had to be dealt with. If he followed through on his current, unsettled feelings, he'd run screaming from the room as if his life depended on it. With a room full of witnesses, he didn't that would be a very smart move on his part. The mental image of him doing that made him smile though, thinking that Duo would give anything to see him do something so... unpredictable.

Slowly, the impulse to flee softened as he calmed and reminded himself of his duties. His eyes scanned the room several times, looking for any trouble. The only problem he could detect was the fact that three quarters of the audience appeared to be having a hard time keeping their eyes open as Mrs. Santiago droned on. The other fourth had a dazed look in their eyes and dopey grins plastered on their faces, making it obvious that they had tuned the good lady out. 

He sighed yet again and realized that the simple act of sighing was becoming something of a habit for him these days. He paused with that sobering thought lingering in his mind, and came to the unhappy realization that he was twenty years old and bored to death.

Death.

He wondered what Duo was doing. He was pretty sure that wherever his friend was he was anything but bored. Seeing the room was secured with most of the audience safely napping, the former Wing Zero pilot allowed his mind to drift to thoughts of his friends.

He saw Wufei occasionally, and though they had never been close, there was a bond created between all of them during the war. Those battles, fought on Earth and in space, helped to form a brotherhood of sorts despite the fact that they had all been about fifteen years old at the war's inception, each of them proved to be head strong and determined to win a war against incredible odds. They each learned, as time and events sped by, that they all fought for the same cause, for the liberation of and peace for the colonies, though their reasons for fighting seemed very different from each other. Wufei had fought because of the injustices caused by the Alliance to his people, for his deceased wife. He been a hard person to understand at the time, but Heero found him to be honorable and a determined and effective warrior. 

His thoughts then drifted to another pilot, remembering that right after the war Quatre had returned to his own colony and family. He was presently living in the high-security Winner compound along with Trowa. Both of them were attending the university there. When not in school, Quatre spent his spare time helping out with the family's corporation and Trowa visited the circus whenever the opportunity arose. 

Anytime Heero thought about Quatre, Trowa came to mind also, like the two inseparable people they'd become. During the war he'd observed that the two boys had seemed particularly close, and he'd secretly wondered about the true nature of their relationship. He wasn't really surprised to learn a year after the wars ended that their relationship had evolved into something more than just good friends. 

He wondered if Duo had suspected or had even known something about their growing relationship back then, having been close to Quatre during the wars. The American, he recalled, had been on good terms with all of the former pilots, but Heero hadn't been comfortable speaking with Duo on the topic of their friends' relationship with each other. It wasn't that Quatre and Trowa's close relationship bothered him, he certainly wasn't a homophobe, but he would have frowned on such a partnership during the war because he believed that intimate relationships were a distraction and posed a possible liability, something that could be used against them. His intentional ignorance of what was going on between them meant he wouldn't feel the need to interfere if there was something going on. Yet the main reason he couldn't question his best friend about the other two pilots' relationship was because he felt uncomfortable broaching a subject so personal, too close to home, so to speak. He couldn't talk about it with Duo because he found himself attracted to the American, and that attraction made him hesitant to bring up such a subject. He didn't want Duo to guess at his attraction and be uncomfortable with it, so he kept it and his curiosity about their other friends to himself.

His fascination with the braided teenager had been so subtle at first that he didn't recognize it for what it really was. He only let himself believe that Duo was an extraordinarily attractive boy and his personality, so opposite in nature to his own, became a fascinating study. The image of the American on the occasion of their first meeting was still vivid in his mind, for he'd relived that moment over and over in his moments of quiet reflection. Duo had been a striking picture, standing on the docks of an Oz port dressed all in black, his legs spread apart as he pointed his gun at him thinking he was an enemy and ordering him to lower his own weapon. Even though a black hat had covered the other boy's head, Heero had caught a glimpse of the thick brown braid that would become a part of many dreams since then. Anyone else would have thought him insane if they knew that Duo shooting him that day, twice even, had made a very favorable impression on him. 

After Duo risked being captured by initiating a daring rescue from the hospital where he'd been held, and then sheltering him on Howard's ship, the American became an enticing enigma that slowly led him to wanting to be near the other boy to enjoy his odd sense of humor and company.

He wasn't sure exactly when he'd noticed it, but he slowly began to wonder if Duo had been attracted to him in return. Deathscythe's pilot playfully taunted him and touched him more than what was necessary. But after watching Duo with the other pilots, Heero realized he behaved in a similar manner towards them as well. Confused by Duo's friendly nature, so opposite his own, he pulled back emotionally and kept his attraction and growing feelings for the braided American to himself. During that time he had to reminded himself over and over that the war was his purpose, peace his goal and not the braided American with the beguiling smile and mesmerizing eyes.

Towards the end of the war, Duo was fighting alongside the other three pilots more than with him. He wondered if it was just circumstances or if he'd inadvertently pushed Duo away with his cool demeanor and single mindedness to the war. He'd also noticed the other boy had formed some sort of attachment to a girl he'd met on L-2 during the war. The girl's feelings for Duo had been obvious when she broke ranks with OZ to help the L-2 pilot as he'd crashed into the moon base trying to rescue him and Wufei. She also managed to get on board of Libra and somehow got a hold of and copied the battleship's plans, then came to them in a stolen suit during the middle of a space battle in order to give the pilfered plans to Duo. Heero thought her actions were certainly a very unique way to get a guy's attention, and it was obvious that Duo was the one she'd been trying to impress.

He'd experienced his first strong pangs of jealousy when Duo expressed his concern for the wounded girl when she was brought aboard Peacemillion. The braided teen seemed distressed over the girl's welfare and he could see any hope he had for a future relationship with the American diminish. Shortly after seeing her put on a stretcher and moved out from the hanger, Duo brought him the information that Relena was on board Libra, the ship they were planning to destroy. He recalled the two of them pausing for a moment in the corridor of Peacemillion to consider each other, and Heero had noted an odd tone in Duo's voice as he'd relayed the message with a look in his eyes that he hadn't seen before. He didn't know what it meant, but before he could study the oddities of his friend further to identify what it could mean, the American had quickly turned away and followed the gurney carrying the wounded girl to the sickbay.

After that, events began to move at a more rapid pace, and it wasn't long before the war was suddenly over and the gundam pilots were hailed as both heroes for saving the planet and villains for the death and destruction they'd left in their wake. 

The new government tried to shelter the identities of the under-aged pilots, but in the chaos of forming a new governing system, it wasn't surprising that the information leaked out. Within six weeks after the second war ended, their names, pictures, their sketchy background information as well as the colonies they came from were printed in every newspaper published and on every news telecast.

The five pilots split from each other's company, heading off in different directions in an attempt to lose themselves amidst the public outcry for more information about the five boys with tragic pasts while others demanded they be held responsible for the crimes they committed during the war.

Heero lost track of his former comrades during that time, keeping in touch through e-mail mostly with Quatre who was sheltered on L-4 by his family and vigorously protected by the Maguanacs.

He frowned in recalling his friend. The gentle blond Arabian had been the most sought after of the five for revenge because of his regrettable first experience in Wing Zero. The blowing up of one colony and threatening another was not easily forgiven, even though it had been proved by Milliado Peacecraft that the Zero System had altered the blond teen's judgment. Quatre's sad, regret-filled face on the television screen displayed his sympathy as he sincerely and tearfully apologized for his actions along with a promise to re-build the colonies lost, including the lost L-5 colony, with housing and businesses offered to all those who had lost their homes and livelihood when he obliterated the colony after they'd been evacuated. Most of the colonists seemed to forgive the young and innocent looking blond after that gesture or repentance and restitution, but Heero knew Quatre would always have to watch his back for some sort of retaliation for those unwilling to let bygones be bygones.

The sound of applause came again and brought Heero back to the present and the task at hand. Relena looked startled and blinked rapidly as she turned to look at him again. Heero couldn't help but smile at the fact that she looked like she'd been dozing herself during Mrs. Santiago's rambling.

Checking his watch he realized there was at least one more speaker to endure before they could leave. Relena had already made their excuses for missing the evening's festivities, explaining the need to return to Europe and that they had their private jet fueled and ready to take them back to Sanq as soon as they could reach the airport, which couldn't be soon enough for the former Wing pilot. Steeling himself, he concentrated on looking the part of the dutiful bodyguard while his mind wandered to the past once again.

Two hours and twenty minutes later, Heero sat in the plush seat of the Linear jet with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Any tension he'd experienced at the symposium that wasn't drowned out by boredom, was dissipating with each swallow of the burning liquor. Unfortunately, the lingering sense of boredom that seemed to grow day by day remained stubbornly entrenched. Closing his eyes, he swallowed back the rest of his drink and then set the glass down on the seat next to him. He reclined the back of his seat, adjusted the pillow he'd been given after take off, then prepared himself to sleep during the six hour trip home.

"Let's take a few days off, Heero," Relena's soft voice carried over to him from the row across from where he sat. He turned his head, opened his eyes, and noticed her glass of wine was also empty. 

"Sounds good," he replied.

"Rest well," she yawned as she pulled the light blanket she always used on the jet up to her chin, and the both of them drifted off to sleep, leaving only the hum of the jet's engines to fill the air in the passenger cabin.

Heero entered his apartment in the Sanq palace at five thirty a.m. Tossing his suitcase down onto the chair next to the door, he pulled off his jacket, hung it up properly, then wearily trudged towards his bed. Along the way he toed off his shoes, unbuttoned the cuffs and front of his dress shirt and pulled it off and let it drop carelessly to the floor in what he absently thought was an act performed in true Duo fashion. A trail of clothing marking his path to the bed was made when his belt, suit pants and socks followed. He reached his bed, threw back the covers and crawled beneath them thinking how wonderful it was to be home in familiar surroundings and in his own bed. He quickly fell into a deep sleep, more restful than what he'd had in weeks.

A timid knock on his front door and a glance at the clock told him the time was two p.m. and that the maid had come to clean his room. He left his desk and laptop along with the grilled cheese sandwich the kitchen had sent up to answer the door and let her in. "Afternoon, Inka," he greeted the dark-haired German woman dressed primly in her gray uniform and white apron.

The strong and wiry woman he estimated to be in her late thirties, entered through the open door, smiling at him in response to his welcome. "Welcome back, Mr. Yuy. Did you have a pleasant trip?" she asked demurely, her German accent barely noticeable.

Heero closed the door after her. "It was..." he paused for a moment, wondering how he could rephrase the word boring: tedious, dull, uninformative, stiff, dreary and drab all suited the events he and Relena had attended, but he'd learned in diplomatic circles to choose the least offensive words when what you say might be parroted to the press. "Uneventful," he finished, smiling and pleased with the wording of his answer.

The women set down her carrying case of cleaners and reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bundle of mail. "You and Miss Relena work too hard, Mr. Yuy," she lightly scolded him. "You should have some fun before you're too old to enjoy anything." She held the letters out to him along with her advice; he took both.

Nodding his head in reply to the well-intentioned statement, Heero turned to face her once again. "I won't be in your way at my desk, will I?" he asked

"No," the woman chuckled. "Your room is never enough work to bother with. If everyone in the palace was as neat and tidy as you, Mr. Yuy, I'd be out of a job."

"Just one of my quirks," he replied, then added. "Or so a friend once told me." He turned and went back to the chair at his desk, putting the small stack of envelopes aside. A small smile lit his face as he recalled another time, just after a mission, and Duo's astounded face as he cleaned the area of their small, one-bed hotel room before they collapsed onto the bed for the night.

"Why do you always clean everything before you go to bed? You don't see things are messy with your eyes closed," Duo had argued as he stripped down to his boxers, baffled by his fastidious behavior.

"I rest better in a clean environment," he had replied to the braided teenager. 

"Must be one of your quirks." Duo had smiled then and lowered himself onto half of the bed and climbed under the blankets, his head coming to rest on part of the lone pillow.

With Heero's memory came a remembrance of the emotions he felt that night as he watched Duo's face soften as sleep approached. His thick brown braid trailed over his shoulder and came to rest on the blanket before him. Heero remembered his body responding to the sight of the almost beautiful boy and wondered how awkward it would be to share the small mattress if Duo knew of his growing attraction to him. He remembered neatly folding Duo's clothes and setting them on the lone chair the room possessed. He then undressed himself and put his own clothing on top of those. Wearing only his boxer briefs, he turned to put out the light, then crawled into the space the other boy was careful to leave for him and turned his back towards Duo's chest.

"Night, Heero," Duo had mumbled sleepily, and Heero remembered the touch of his fellow pilot's warm hand as he patted his shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Good night," he'd whispered back, relishing the warmth the friendly contact brought, and then all there was left for him to do that night was to force himself to relax and go to sleep.

Heero mentally shook himself from the memory of that night and wondered why thoughts of his former comrade kept coming to mind. Well, he knew why, but he'd made the decision once again to swallow down the futility of his feelings for the American that he experienced whenever he recalled their times together. Duo was with Hilde, or rather he had been, and he was straight, at least he was pretty sure he was. As far as he could see, there was little to no chance the American would ever return his feelings.

Heero noted that Inka was going about her business of looking for elusive dust or spots, eventually coming to his desk to attack its surface with a feather duster. Heero picked up his small pile of letters to help her out and decided to peruse them while he waited for her to finish. Starting with the top envelope, he flipped past the phone and credit card bills, an invitation for a free magazine, a newsletter, and then his hand stopped as a picture postcard topped the stack. It was an odd picture, he noted, with the top half of it being an azure blue color sky with a faint wisp of a white cloud. The bottom half showed a verdant green hump. Heero realized he was viewing a portion of a picture, not the whole scene. Curious as to who would have sent him such an odd postcard, he turned it over to see only a few words written on the back, next to a label that had his name and address printed on it.

COME AWAY WITH ME IN THE NIGHT

There was no signature or a return address. The ink over the stamp mark showed the card as having come from New York City in the United States. Several times Heero flipped the picture card from back to front, trying to understand the message and who it could be from.

Frowning at the illogical puzzle, he noted that Inka had moved away from his desk just before he set the perplexing card to the side of his computer. Someone was playing a prank on him, he decided. It had to be that or it was a clever advertising gimmick, the kind that slowly lures you in, getting your attention only to end with a free sample of soap or a feminine hygiene product.

Hearing the vacuum cleaner start up, he put the card out of his mind and turned his attention to his bills, quickly writing out payment checks for them and prepared them for posting.

When he was done, he found himself picking up the card again. He never could let a mystery stay unsolved. Staring at it, he wondered if it could be for real. It was easier to believe the card was some sort of clever advertisement than a true invitation from a secret admirer. After all, who in their right mind would send Relena's stoic and glaring bodyguard, a former gundam pilot, an invitation to come away with them?

Wadding up the empty envelopes from the opened mail, his hands paused as he came to the odd photograph. No, he decided he wouldn't throw it away yet. He'd keep it just in case something else came along, maybe another card revealing more of the picture.

"I'm finished, Mr. Yuy," Inka announced from behind him. He turned to see her coming out of the utility room where he kept his vacuum. She approached his desk and removed a folded plastic bag from out of her apron pocket, snapped it open, then swept the few pieces of crumpled trash from off the desk and into it the bag. "Now I have something to show for my work here today," she grinned at the intense young man while motioning to the plastic bag. Her eyes strayed to the odd photograph on the table and an amused smile grew on her lips. "Taking up photography?" she asked.

Heero shook his head. "It came in the mail today," he answered and fought the urge to snatch up the picture and hide it so that Inka wouldn't pick it up and read the back. "I think it's some kind of advertising ploy."

"It certainly is peculiar," she said. "Do you want me to take it with the rest of the trash?"

"No," he answered, then, picked it up to study the scene of the hilltop, sky and cloud. "I think I'll hold onto it."

The older woman smiled pleasantly at him then bid him a good day and went about her business, leaving Heero to himself to study the picture for a few more minutes before continuing his letter in progress to Quatre.

It was around eleven p.m. five days later that Heero returned from another evening out with Relena. After a day of outings, they'd spent the evening attending the opening of a new museum featuring artifacts and paintings belonging to Sanq's royal family. Heero had not returned to his room since the lunch hour, and stepping through his door, he found his mail lying on the small table adjacent to the entry. Only Inka was allowed into his room when he was away and then only to deliver his mail. Picking up the four items, he quickly recognized a photo card. Turning on the nearest light to get a good look at it, his eyes lit on a picture of a river, positioned at the bottom of what appeared to be a hillside with a small dirt road running alongside it. Sunlight was captured in the photograph by the sparkling light reflecting off of the clear water and the verdant green of a hillside that angled upward from the water's edge. The fragmented scene lent a feeling of peacefulness that he found attractive. Turning the card over, his eyes went immediately to the words printed neatly in black ink.

COME AWAY WITH ME IN THE NIGHT.

COME AWAY WITH ME AND

I'LL

WRITE

YOU SONGS.

There was no signature, no return address nor hint of advertisement, but the postmark was stamped as having been posted in London, England. Whoever was sending him these pictures was traveling, perhaps with the intention of masking their location, so they couldn't be traced easily. Maybe this was another stalker, he thought. He'd certainly dealt with them before. Both he and Relena had their share of weird followers.

Moving to his desk and loosening his tie in the process, he set the picture card down then pulled out the first card he'd received from where it had been set at the side of his computer. The two scenes on the cards looked similar with the rich green of the hillside matching, but they didn't fit together. He set them aside as he turned to deal with the rest of his mail.

His eyes and curiosity returned frequently to the two postcards for the next five days. He chided himself for the foolish waste of time, but he couldn't bring himself to throw them away. It was like a puzzle to be solved and he just couldn't let it go until the mystery of the cards were resolved.

He'd returned to his room at noon five days after the second card arrived to see if he'd gotten any mail while he'd been out that morning. His growing fixation for checking the mail lately was unusual for him, and the knowledge that he was doing it didn't settle well with the young man who prided himself on his self-control.

This time he saw the photograph on top of the bills that awaited him. He picked it up, ignoring the rest of his mail, and took it to his desk and pulled out the other two cards and placed them down on the flat surface. Again the picture showed an azure blue, cloudless sky and the top of a rounded hill. But this time, on the bottom left hand corner, there was the hint of something reddish-brown, and he thought it might be a fence, a branch of a tree. The photograph had obviously been taken from a higher position and distance from the scene being methodically unfolded. 

After studying the picture, he flipped it over to see the message he knew would be there. This postcard was stamped as having come from Paris, France.

COME AWAY WITH ME

ON A BUS.

COME AWAY WITH ME 

WHERE THEY CAN'T TEMPT

US

WITH THEIR LIES.

Heero frowned. That last sentence hit a little too close for comfort. 

Being put into the international spotlight with Relena had always been uncomfortable to him. The press and scandal driven magazines were quick to spread rumors, especially when there were none. It had been reported many times that Relena Peacecraft was having an affair with her attractive body guard, the former gundam pilot, and that the two of them frequently attended wild private parties that had been rumored to being just short of drug and sex debaucheries. At first they'd laughed at the absurdness of the claims, but it seemed the press was determined to keep them in the headline news and the allegations of disgraceful conduct grew.

Time after time the scandalous claims were vehemently denounced and denied by Relena and Milliardo. Certain questionable members of the press from the more undesirable magazines kept hinting at impropriety, while the major news agencies stepped back, reporting the denials to other magazines' rumors.

When it seemed that nothing could stop the rumors of a romantic relationship between he and Relena, lies that affected her job, Heero had acted in the only way he deemed as a means to an end. Walking up to a well-known reporter from a reputable news agency during a social function, he pulled the man aside for a little talk. The man, Bradford Hughes, was in his early forties and a married man. His short, brown hair was graying slightly at the temples and the lines across his forehead and eyes displayed the fact that his profession was a stressful one. Heero had read some of his articles and decided Mr. Hughes was a principled man, with a fair mind and generally reported the news without bias. To his credit, Mr. Hughes focused his attention on the very recognizable bodyguard, holding back his natural curiosity until the young man said what he'd wanted to say. His eyes barely widened as Heero attempted to put an end to the rumor about Relena and himself once and for all.

The announcement that Heero Yuy, a former gundam pilot and the person attributed to saving the Earth, was gay came as a bit of a shock to everyone. Yet the news picked up by most newspapers and magazines didn't hit the first or second page of those more reputable news sources but rather found a place in the 'People In The News' section on page three.

As difficult and uncomfortable as it had been confessing his sexual orientation, Heero was delighted with the results, as was Relena and Milliardo. The rumor mill declaring a relationship between himself and Relena now stated the truth, that they were close friends and had been since he found himself to be employed by her after the second war. But his happiness at the situation soon turned sour as many of the rag magazines, that had plagued them before, began to spread rumors about himself and any male he became associated with. Nosey reporters then turned their greedy eyes towards speculating about his relationship with the other gundam pilots. 

The last thing Heero ever wanted was to put his friends on the spot as their relationships came under the scrutiny of hungry reporters, especially Quatre and Trowa.

He'd spent several days profusely apologizing to his two forgiving friends whose heels were dogged by unrelenting snoops searching for a story. They finally handled the situation by first informing Quatre's family about the true nature of their relationship, most of whom were not surprised by their being more than friends. His sisters then rallied to their defense and stood together, showing unity to a room filled with reporters as Quatre made a public announcement in regards to his being in love with Trowa Barton.

Quatre's adoring colonial fans were shocked that he was in a long-term, homosexual relationship, but after several weeks, the minor scandal and hoopla wound down while business was carried on as usual and everyone's lives returned to normal.

Wufei, on the other hand, had handled the situation in a totally different manner. At the insinuation that he was Heero's bed partner during the war by the first pugnacious reporter stupid enough to make the accusation, he knocked the man unconscious with one powerful and perfectly aimed blow. He told the other reporters standing warily back from him that he was in a relationship with someone who, he paused to deliver a warning glare at the nervous men surrounding the semi-conscious reporter on the cement, was none of their business. It didn't take long after that event before Wufei's name began to be mentioned in connection with a slightly older woman, Dr. Sally Poe, also employed by the Preventers' Organization.

As for Duo, Heero didn't know how his announcement affected the American. The former Deathscythe pilot had disappeared several months after leaving Earth for L-2 to work with Hilde. Each of the remaining four pilots received the same e-mail from him every couple of months, basically stating that he was fine and still trying to find out who he was without Deathscythe and Shinigami, his alter ego.

Heero missed his friend, especially during the long, trying days after his "outing". He had no doubt that Duo would have lent some humor to the situation and made light of it. He didn't have a moment's doubt that his announcement of being gay wouldn't have changed Duo's opinion of him. His friend was accepting of everyone, or so it seemed to Heero, who had come to that conclusion by having surreptitiously watched the American's mannerisms and behavior when they'd stayed together in safehouses during the war.

Shaking himself from his reverie of the past, he studied the three pictures on the desk. None of them lined up against the other but it was clear they were all part of a whole. Taking his tape dispenser from out of the desk drawer he did something he would not normally do; he taped the three cards onto his pristine, eggshell colored walls, above and next to his computer. The two sky-colored pictures went above the one showing the small river. Once he was satisfied with their placement, he sat at his desk and contemplated them until he wearied of the task. He then stood and left his room, returning to work with his thoughts lingering on the pictures, the words on the back of them, and what the could possibly mean.

TBC

*The song, if you don't know, is 'Come Away With Me', by Nora Jones.

A note from Dyna: I know it's been a while since I last posted, but life has been somewhat... stressful. Thanks to all who have written kind words of encouragement to me or reviewed some of my older stories. I wrote this little fic around the holidays, but in finding out my good friend had ovarian cancer and then watching her struggle with it over the last few months, I just didn't have the heart to post something with a happy ending. Now that her suffering is over and life is marching forward, despite losing her, I hope my desire to write will come back soon and I'll have something else for you to read in the future. 


	2. Part 2

Note: Thanks, L.W. Corrected as noted, I hope.

Disclaimers and warnings on fist page of fic

An Invitation

By: Dyna Dee

Part 2

Five days passed quickly and the fifth one found Relena following Heero into his room to discover the next picture card. With the dark and light haired heads gently and unconsciously coming together, the two friends contemplated the picture that came in the post, yet another part of the puzzle. The photo showed a second portion of the small river and the green hillside. A brown diagonal line interrupting the green grass they determined to be a road or perhaps a driveway.

"What does it say?" Relena asked excitedly. Heero told her of his mysterious mail the day after he'd received the second postcard and she'd nagged at him until he relented to show her the next one. Turning the photo over, they both read the neatly block-printed words, penned in black ink.

I WANT TO WALK WITH YOU

ON A CLOUDY DAY

IN FIELDS WHERE THE YELLOW GRASS GROWS KNEE HIGH

SO WON'T YOU TRY

TO COME

Relena gasped softly, her face taking on a dreamy cast. "This is so romantic, Heero," she said with dreamy eyes.

The young dark haired man snorted scoffingly and shook his head. "For all I know it could be another sicko or a 'love-at-first-sight' stalker."

"Maybe, and then again maybe not," she replied with a smile. "It could be someone you know, someone who's sincerely attracted to you but too shy to approach you."

Heero continued to study the postcard. "This one was sent from Florence, Italy," he commented, looking at the post mark.

"Is that significant?" Relena leaned in closer to get a look at it.

"Each postmark has been from a different location: New York, London, Paris and now Florence." 

"This person travels as much as we do," the blonde girl commented with a soft smile. "Maybe he's getting closer on purpose with each card that's sent."

"You're assuming it's a he," Heero said, one eyebrow raised.

"Your announcement was rather gender specific." She grinned at him, her eyes alight with humor.

"Yes, and it's bought its share of Tom, Dick and flaming Harrys out of the closet thinking I could be their soul mate," he replied unhappily in remembering all too clearly that awkward couple of weeks. He then turned his attention to placing the card up on the wall with the others. After studying them a bit, he realized he had four corners, and judging by the scope of the picture and putting it into perspective, he thought that he had four out of nine pictures that would complete the puzzle.

"What do you suppose it is? What could it mean?" Relena asked, standing at his side and staring with him at the four pictures on the wall.

"An invitation and a clue," he answered without looking away.

"Any idea who it could be from or where the picture was taken?"

Heero shook his head. "I can't imagine anyone who would go to such lengths to get my attention. I still think it might be some sort of advertisement for a vacation destination. You know, where they lure you in for free and make you sit through a pressure sales pitch to buy a condominium."

Relena turned to look at him, an expression of exasperation on her face. "What? An advertisement? You have got to be kidding me!"

Puzzled at her tone and disbelieving expression, Heero shrugged.

"Heero," Relena said more softly, "you are beautiful, one of the most handsome men I've ever met not to mention that you're a wonderful person too. I'm surprised people aren't beating down the doors to get your attention."

"Looks can be deceiving, Relena. I'm fully aware of my lack of social skills. I'm a trained killer. I'd say that's a big negative on a resume for a potential boyfriend."

"Resume?" Relena laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Maybe that's what I need to do in order to get a date. Do you have a copy of your dating resume that I could use as an example?"

Heero rolled his eyes at her teasing. Sometimes Relena reminded him of Duo. He reached up and gave a gentle tug to her long blonde hair, similar to how he used to pull at Duo's long braid to keep him in line.

"You need to associate with people more your own age," he advised her in a gentle voice. "Go to college or parties that have nothing to do with politics." He brought his hand up and stroked her soft cheek with the back of his fingers in a tender gesture of a caring friend. "You deserve some happiness and fun."

Relena leaned into his hand and sighed wistfully. "Maybe one day, when Milliardo realizes he can do his job without me."

"He can do without you now," Heero said, lowering his hand. "Don't let too much time pass or your youth will pass you by completely."

"And what about you, Heero?" She took up his bronze hand into her own. "I could say those same things to you. I know you're bored to tears with all the meetings we have to attend. You're unhappy and it hurts me to see you so dissatisfied."

"You need me and so I'm here," he replied simply. "Where else would I go?"

A small smile came to the girl's lips. "Perhaps we both need a lifestyle change. And maybe, just maybe," she turned to tap one of the four pictures on the wall with her finger, "this is the chance you've been waiting for. Sometimes you need to jump into something with both feet and enjoy the ride."

Heero looked at her in disbelief. "And this comes from someone who plans out every minute of her day?"

"Like I said," Relena continued, with a grin. "Maybe we're both ready for a change."

"You didn't say that before," Heero corrected her, fighting the smile growing on his face knowing Relena hated being corrected.

"All right, Mr. Literal, I'm sure that I inferred that a change was in order." She smiled back, not able to resist when her good friend teased her. "Really, Heero, that perfect memory of yours can be quite irritating at times."

"So I've been told." His amusement dimmed in his eyes as he recalled the many times he'd made Duo angry because he would recall and recite every detail of a mission, conversation or incident, critiquing the other boy until Duo was left pulling at his braid and snapping back in defense of his actions. He'd learned too late that the way he'd been trained, with every thought, action and movement receiving constructive criticism, did not work well on Duo. The Deathscythe pilot viewed his list of the other boy's errors and faults on a mission or of his general behavior as a sign of his disapproval and dissatisfaction with him as a pilot and as a person. Heero had honestly thought he was doing his fellow pilot a favor by pointing out his mistakes so that he could correct them on the next mission. At the time, he didn't understand Duo's anger and resentment and he probably wouldn't have figured it out if Trowa hadn't observed one such argument and intervened. 

Taking him aside, the Heavyarms pilot explained to him the reasons for Duo's perturbed reaction and he'd made a conscious effort from that point on to hold back any analysis of the other pilots' performances unless their behavior endangered the mission. That change helped to ease the strain that had developed between himself and Duo, but even now, after so much time had passed, Heero still felt a pang of remorse for having hurt his friend's feelings with past words and actions.

"What's the matter, Heero?"

Coming back from his thoughts of the past, Heero gave Relena an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I was just remembering something."

"You looked sad," she said, concern evident on her face.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

Relena sensed Heero did not want her to pry. He was a very private person, never speaking at length about his past. She had gotten to know him better by learning small bits and pieces of his life through their conversations and without stating it, she'd always sensed her friend was missing something or someone in his life. He would get a look of longing on his face at certain times, especially when seeing a vibrant colored sunset, a moonlit sky on a clear night or aerial displays of a lightning and thunder storms always brought a look of wistful longing to his handsome face, but he never fully opened up enough to tell her who or what brought about that expression. She'd guessed what the problem was after having seen him gaze with longing at his collection of pictures of the other pilots, and one pilot in particular. He'd shyly admitted his attraction to Duo after she told him of her suspicion.

She sighed and watched now as Heero looked at the pictures on the wall. "What would you say to playing hooky this afternoon?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face as she'd spontaneously decided they both needed some fun.

"Don't you have an appointment with your dressmaker at one thirty, tea at Dorothy's, and a three o'clock with Mr. Cannon at the Ministry of Trade?"

"I'll cancel them," she replied with a delicate wave of her hand, indicating the appointments were not as important as getting away. "I think a drive to the beach sounds much more fun. Maybe we could go in disguise and pick up a couple of guys and make out with them as the sun sets." There was a definite sparkle in the young woman's eyes.

"We will not pick up guys and make out with them," Heero said firmly, giving her a particular glare that told her he meant it.

Relena pouted playfully. "Well, we can look and dream, can't we?"

"Yes," he replied with a long suffering sigh. "We can dream."

The afternoon spent at the nearby beach lifted the spirits of the two young adults and made the next five days seem to pass much more pleasantly.

Both Relena and Heero looked impatiently at the clock as it inched towards the noon hour. They were enclosed in a room at the Sanq Palace with representatives from L-1, L-13 and L-3. They had come to the Vice Foreign Minister's Office with the hope of coming to some agreement on a trade dispute between their colonies and Milliardo had promptly given the matter over to Relena to handle it as she saw fit. But as the hour wore on, the disagreements between the three seemed petty and ridiculously heated. Relena's calming presence and Heero's potent glares were the only things that kept the group of men from going at each others' throats.

At a quarter to twelve, her brother strode into the room looking tall, authoritative and confident. He was always a presence to be reckoned with, especially in a gray business suit that complemented his striking blue eyes and long platinum hair.

"Gentlemen, good day to you," he greeted the room confidently. He then turned to the colony representatives to specifically address them, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry for my delay, but I left you in capable hands." He gave them a warm, I'm-kissing-your-ass smile. "I see it's lunch time. I've taken the opportunity to have the kitchen staff prepare a luncheon for you. If you'll just follow Inka, she'll lead you to the dining room." He turned and brought their attention to the maid, dressed in a traditional service uniform and standing in the doorway with a smile on her face.

It took less than one minute for the visitors to clear the room. As the last of them disappeared out the door, Milliardo turned to the two relieved people left in the room. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a card and held it out as he walked towards Heero. "This just came in the morning's post."

Heero recognized the postcard, similar to the others, and turned an accusing glare towards Relena.

"Sorry," she said with a tiny voice and a growing grin. "But it's just too intriguing. I had to tell Mill. After all, his love life is about as interesting as ours."

"Hey!" the tall blond protested with exaggerated indignation as he came to stand in front of the two. "I wouldn't call Luca a nothing."

"You're just lucky she understands your neglect," Relena replied, her eyes focused on the postcard. "Your social life is just as boring as ours, even with Lucretia's devotion."

Heero reached out and took the card from Milliardo's hand, choosing wisely to stay out of the two siblings' tit-for-tat conversation. As he looked at the picture, he saw yet another part of the puzzle that looked like a vineyard on a hillside. A smattering of orange and yellow flowers dotted the landscape. The top of the picture had a dark patch that Heero thought looked like the foundation of a structure and something more. He looked closer.

"Are those stairs and a porch?" Milliardo asked, having moved to look over Heero's left shoulder. It was then that Heero realized that Relena was peering over his right shoulder, studying the picture as intently as he had been.

The three looked up as Inka entered the room, running and slightly breathless. "What's it say?" she asked, excitement in her blushing face.

Heero rolled his eyes heavenward. The way things were going, the whole palace would know about his postcards.

"He hasn't read it yet," Relena answered, then gave Heero a nudge with her elbow to bring his attention back to the card in his hand.

The palace maid moved into the spot Milliardo had made for her in front of himself and just behind Heero's shoulder. "Turn it over," the elder Peacecraft urged.

Heero huffed with frustration at his lack of privacy but dutifully turned the card over. Four sets of eyes scanned the words as Relena read them out loud.

COME AWAY WITH ME AND WE'LL KISS

ON A MOUNTAIN TOP.

COME AWAY WITH ME AND I'LL 

NEVER STOP

LOVING YOU.

"Oh, Heero," Relena sighed dreamily.

"How romantic," Inka chimed in and shared an if-only-it-were-me smile with Relena.

"Is this from a woman or a man?" Milliardo asked, a slight frown on his face.

"It was sent after my so-called 'coming out' interview, so I assume it's someone of the male persuasion," Heero answered.

The tall blond seemed to ponder the situation. "While it's intriguing, are you sure this is safe?" 

Heero shrugged, making it look careless. "So far it's just a card with harmless words on it. There's no implied threat or anything repulsive, so I guess we can consider it a small diversion."

Relena bent to get a closer look at the postage stamp. "Monaco," she announced. "It was mailed from Monaco."

Inka also leaned over the card still held in Heero's hand. "What's that at the top of the picture?"

"The foundation for some kind of building," Heero answered.

"Those look like steps and a porch. If you look closer, you can see a difference in the wood," the blond man observed.

The four heads came closer together to see the proof of those words. "There's not enough showing for me to tell," Heero said, eyes still on the picture. He then became aware of just how close the others were to him. He could smell Zechs's citrus based cologne, Relena's floral perfume and an antiseptic smell that must have come from some cleaning compound emanating from Inka. Before he could move to distance himself from the tight olfactory assaulting group that made him feel a bit uncomfortable, Inka gasped.

"There's a foot," and all four heads came together again, eyes straining to see the small mark the maid referred to.

"No, it's a cat or something," Relena decided, turning her head to a different angle to gain another perspective.

"I think it's one of those things gentlemen spit into, a spittoon," Zechs offered up his viewpoint.

Bringing the card up to his face for a closer study, Heero came up with his own idea. "It's a sandaled foot."

"You're right," Zechs concurred.

"It's a cat," Relena persisted. When the other three gave her a look of disbelief, she pouted. "Well it looks like one to me."

The two men gave each other a long suffering sigh, earning them both a well deserved pinch on their arms from the young woman.

"Maybe it's a person with only one leg," Inka said thoughtfully. "Perhaps they lost the other tragically in the war and now the poor dear sits alone all day with nothing better to do but write famous people cryptic love poems." The three thought for a moment that the older woman was going to cry from the distressed look on her face at the notion she'd fabricated in her head.

Deciding he'd had enough, Heero stepped away from the group and slipped the picture into his coat pocket. "I'm going to my room," he announced. "I'll meet you in the dining room for lunch in ten minutes," he called out over his shoulder as he left the three staring at his back.

Placing the picture in its place amongst the others on his bedroom wall, it was easy for him to see it was the center picture. There appeared to be only four missing pieces remaining, each the middle piece of the four sides. Taping it in its proper place, he stepped back to take in the five parts of the picture. It was now obvious that the large hills at the top of the picture proved to be the distant background. The structure, hinted at by the foundation, stairs and porch, was probably a house. The hill it rested on was a vineyard with a small river flowing where the hill turned into a valley.

He tried to place the picture's setting, deciding it could be from Italy, France, California or South America. Four cards to go, and Heero sensed that the important piece, the one that held the information he needed to understand the cards' purpose, would be the last to arrive. What would happen when it came? He wondered. Would he meet the traveler, a stranger or perhaps an acquaintance? What would be expected of him if he did come face to face with the anonymous person? With these questions weighing on his mind, he left his room, locking the door behind him, and made his way down the staircase and to the dining room.

Two days later, Quatre called.

"So what's this I'm hearing about romantic love notes being sent to you?" the blond asked over the vid screen with a definite sparkle in his blue eyes and a teasing smile on his lips.

Heero sighed wearily. "Who told you?"

"I ran into Dorothy at a trade meeting yesterday," the executive answered. "She could hardly talk of anything else." He laughed in the light, amused way that was characteristic of the gentle soul Quatre possessed, despite all he'd been through in his young life. Heero and the other pilots had found the blond's laughter a balm to their souls when the darkness of war surrounded them. " You'd think she was the one getting the anonymous romantic attention from the way her face lit up."

"Have you told anyone else?" Heero was almost afraid of the answer.

"Well." Quatre blushed slightly, not a good omen. "I told my sister Farah."

"The gossip?" Heero's voice rose considerably with disbelief. Quatre's sister, just older than the blond himself, was a notorious gossip. If she knew, then all of Quatre's sisters knew and so would half of L-4.

"Who else?" he groaned, his hand coming up to rub at his temple, feeling a headache coming on.

"Trowa."

"That's a given. Anyone else?"

"Wufei."

"Damn!"

"Abdul."

"Why didn't you just make an announcement to the L-4 press?" Heero asked irritated and more than perturbed. "Probably half the colony knows about my personal mail by now."

"Colonies," Quatre corrected in a small, apologetic voice, causing Heero's eyes to narrow dangerously. "Dorothy told me about the postcards in front of several trade delegates and businessmen from other colonies."

"I'm going to hire a new bodyguard for Relena," Heero said with a dark look on his face.

"Why?" Quatre looked puzzled.

"To keep me from killing her. She's the only one who could have told Dorothy."

Quatre smiled, knowing Heero didn't mean that particular threat anymore than he had when he said the same thing during the war. "I'm sorry, Heero. I didn't know it was a secret. You have to admit it is very romantic. Maybe we all just needed to syphon off a little of that for ourselves."

"It could be some nutcase or stalker, Quatre." Heero tried to reason with the blond. "That thought blows any ideas of romance right out of the sky, doesn't it?"

"But you don't know that," the other man countered. "It could be someone you know but is just too shy to reveal himself."

Heero shook his head. "I don't know anyone that has shown this much interest in me."

"It could be a secret admirer, someone maybe who has loved you from afar."

"Then they're looking at me from too far a distance and with rose colored glasses. They couldn't possibly know who I really am or anything about me." Heero shrugged, ready to let the whole incident go.

There was a pause before Quatre's voice spoke up softly. "It could be Duo."

Heero's head shot up. Leave it to Quatre to hit the bullseye. In his heart, he'd secretly hoped it would be the missing American issuing him the invitation. The first postcard had come from the United States after all. But Duo had been gone from their lives for over a year. Why would he show up like this instead of a direct call?

"Have you heard from him? Heero asked.

Quatre looked apologetic again. "Just the last e-mail a couple of months ago saying he thought he'd found his niche in life. I just wish he'd been a little more explicit as to where he is and what's going on. Have you had any word?"

"I got an e-mail Christmas card that was very annoying and loud," he answered. "But nothing since."

"I hope he's all right," the blond said with a distracted look on his face, obviously thinking about their missing friend. Then a slow smile grew on his still youthful looking face. "And I hope he's your secret admirer."

Heero shook his head. He couldn't let his friend get his hopes up. He knew Quatre sensed his strong feelings for Duo but he never pried or tried to interfere. Instead, he'd been a consoling presence when Duo departed for L-2 after the war to work with Hilde. Only Quatre had known of Heero's desire and loss at that time. He'd tried to get him to talk to Duo, tell him of his feelings, but Heero just couldn't do it. He thought it was better to hold onto the dream than to risk losing the friendship or respect of his fellow friend and comrade. A lot of good that did him, he thought. Duo had stayed only a short while with Hilde before becoming disenchanted with the nine to five business and took off for places unknown. Despite keeping his feelings to himself, Heero had lost Duo anyway.

"Dorothy said there was some poetry on the back of the pictures." Quatre changed the subject smoothly. "Care to tell me what it is, that is if it's not too personal."

Heero had copied the words from the back of the cards onto his computer so that he could study them better. "I'll send it you," he said, even as his hands began the process of bringing up his e-mail and attaching the file. In less than a minute it came up on Quatre's computer. Heero watched as his friend read the lines and a spark of recognition lit his face.

"It's a song, Heero. An old one, but I've heard it before. Howard played it on Peacemillion for a couple of his crew members that he married. You know he's got that collection of really old music that Duo always talked about. If I remember right, the singer was female with a soft, sultry voice. It was simple but quite... pretty."

Heero frowned as another thought came to him. "It had better not be Howard sending me these postcards."

Quatre's laughter burst out from his small frame. "Howard doesn't swing that way, Heero. So at least you're safe from that worry." He continued laughing for several moments longer at the mental image of a much older Howard, wearing his typical Hawaiian shirt, his skinny and hairy legs exposed by his tan shorts and the sunglasses hiding blood shot eyes. The idea was too funny to even entertain it seriously.

"Do you know how the rest of the song goes?" Heero asked, obviously trying to distract Quatre from his wayward thoughts, not quite knowing what he was still laughing about.

"No," Quatre sighed, having enjoyed the good laugh. "I could probably track it down for you, but wouldn't you rather find out as each card is sent? It does lend an air of mystery that's rather fun."

Heero thought for a moment. "I'll wait for the cards," he decided.

"Can you show them to me?" Quatre asked, hopeful of getting a glimpse at the mystery puzzle. He'd received a brief description from Dorothy, but he really wanted to see if he knew what region the picture had been taken from.

Heero got an irritated look on his face as if he didn't want to bother going to all the trouble to fulfill Quatre's request. Recognizing it, the blond pressed further. "Please, Heero. Maybe I'll recognize the terrain. I've traveled extensively and it's possible that I've been there before."

A look of reluctant caving-in passed over Heero's face. "All right, hold on." he said as he opened the desk drawer and took out a utility knife and opened up the part that was a screwdriver. He began to undo the screws that fastened the camera for the vid phone onto the top shelf of his desk.

A couple of minutes later the picture from Quatre's end became jumbled with movement before it stabilized and struggled to focus on the pictures taped to the wall. "Back up a little, Heero. It's a bit blurred and the two pictures on the right are cut off."

With a bit more instruction, the camera fed a steady and clear picture of the photo cards to the colony high above the earth. Quatre studied them carefully, taking in the details of the background. "It could be a number of places," he said. "But I'm pretty sure I haven't been in this particular place before. It looks like either California or Italy. When does the next picture arrive? Dorothy said they arrive every five days, right?"

"That's correct," Heero answered. "The next is due in three days." Deciding Quatre had enough time to study his postcards, Heero began to reattach the camera back into its place on his desk.

"Will you call me when you get it?" The blond asked with a note of pleading in his voice.

"I think you should get Trowa to send you some postcards," Heero suggested as he sat back into his chair and began to re-adjust his camera again.

"A little to your left," Quatre directed. "Now just a touch more. Got it!"

Heero nodded his thanks, then continued speaking. "Or maybe you could send him some mysterious picture cards yourself, inviting him to a romantic retreat."

Quatre's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That's a great idea. Our anniversary is coming up and so is our break from school. Thanks for the suggestion. I better go and get to work on it. I'll call you back in three days, all right? Bye, Heero." The excited blond's face disappeared from the screen and Heero could only smile, feeling grateful that he wasn't the one that Quatre had chosen for his next personal project. He knew Trowa wouldn't mind at all being the focus of the busy blond's attention. Quatre always had a way of taking a simple idea and turning it into a production.

Heero looked at his desk clock to see it was nearly ten thirty p.m. He should call it a night, but his hand hesitated on the mouse to his computer. He moved it to the icon for his e-mail page and brought up Duo's last know address. He'd tried several times over the last year to contact his friend, but never received an answer.

'Duo, where are you?,' he typed. 'Come home. We miss you. Heero.' It was straightforward and simple, yet the short message expressed more of his feelings towards the American then he'd ever allowed before. 

It had taken some time, but Heero felt he was healing, changing from the trained assassin and the driven soldier he used to be into someone with emotions he could now express, a person with personal needs and desires. He felt he was finally ready to reach out for more than the solitary life he'd led with his emotions kept firmly in check. He was certain that he'd begun to rid himself of the rigid characteristics of a proper soldier that had defined him during the war and he was ready to shed what was left of them as a snake would shed its skin once it had outgrown it. He'd definitely outgrown the person he'd been trained to be for fighting a war and was now ready to move on. But now that he knew what he wanted, or rather who he wanted, the one person he cared about the most and desired above all things for him to be in his life, was gone, unreachable and untouchable. 

He stared at the words displayed on his computer screen once more, his finger poised over the right click of his mouse, the cursor over the 'send' button. He knew he needed to send his brief message before he chickened out. "Please answer," he whispered as he pushed the button, sending his wish along with the simple plea for his friend to return to him.

TBC


	3. Part 3

Note: The song, if you don't recognize it, is 'Come Away With Me', by Nora Jones.

An Invitation

By: Dyna

Part 3

Warnings: For those of you few who don't know, shounen ai means boy likes boy. 

Half of the household staff, Relena and her sheepish-looking brother with Lucretia Noin grinning at his side, had all gathered in the grand, marble tiled entry of the palace. Though most of those present tried to look busy, as if they had a legitimate purpose for being there, it was obvious they were just milling about, waiting for the postman who was already fifteen minutes past his usual arrival time. As Heero came down the stairs, all eyes turned to him briefly before quickly turning away and everyone went back to their pretending they were there for a purpose other than waiting the postman to arrive. Heero sighed, rolled his eyes, and continued to where Relena stood with a pretty smile on her face.

"Excited?" she asked, her eyes sparkling along with her curiosity.

"Relena." Heero's deep voice issued a warning to her that he was not happy with the crowd and that unhappiness was backed up by his brief, scathing glare directed towards both she and her brother.

"Don't be upset," she urged him with a slight playful pout on her face. "Everyone here cares about you, Heero. We all want you to be happy."

"But this is personal," he argued unhappily. "If you were getting love notes would you want everyone and their maid knowing about it?"

"I wouldn't mind unless the press printed the messages," she answered sensibly.

"And how long do you think it will be until that happens considering Dorothy talked openly about it at a political event?" Heero asked, his ire building. "All of Quatre's sisters have probably heard about it by now. If they know, their friends know and that's half the colonies."

Relena's smile faltered. "I'm sorry, Heero. We're spoiling this for you. I guess we just got caught up in the excitement and it's just so..." 

"Don't say it!" Heero interrupted, his hand coming up to signal her to stop speaking. He didn't want to hear again how romantic it was. Women. He inwardly groaned at their romantic tendencies but then remembered that Quatre had been just about as bad.

Relena's mouth closed and her face took on the look of being contrite. She opened her mouth once again to apologize when a knock sounded on the ornately carved front doors of the palace. A butler rushed to open them and stepped back to allow the uniformed postman to come through the door, his mail pouch on his shoulder and his hand raised high, holding up the awaited post card. "It's here!" he announced cheerfully, then blinked in confusion when the card was rudely snatched out of his fingers by an angry looking Japanese man who promptly turned and marched across the grand foyer and up the staircase, pointedly ignoring the worried and disappointed faces of the group of people whose eyes followed his retreat.

Heero shut the door to his room and let himself fall back against it as he tried to calm himself. "This whole thing has turned into a circus," he growled out to himself, disheartened by all the attention he and his mail were getting. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself a moment to find his center. As he felt his heart rate begin to slow and his breathing return to normal, he re-opened his eyes and brought his hand up to look at the much anticipated card. This was the sixth one to arrive within a month's time with three more to arrive before the puzzle was complete.

He studied the picture which obviously conformed to the right side of the puzzle, fitting between the top and bottom pictures already in place. It didn't seem to reveal any more clues with regards to the place or person who sent it; it only showed a hillside vineyard and a bit of the road that seemed to curve towards the top, center picture yet to come. He felt a twinge of disappointment, but reminded himself that he knew the main piece, revealing the structure and maybe the sender, would be the last to arrive.

Walking over to his desk, he turned the card over and looked first at the postage stamp. Barcelona, Spain. The sender of the cards was getting closer, and for some reason, Heero's heart began to beat more rapidly up at the thought. His eyes shifted to the printed words, again neatly printed, and he unconsciously held his breath as he soaked up the words.

I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH THE RAIN

FALLING ON A TIN ROOF

WHILE I'M SAFE THERE IN YOUR ARMS

The picture he formed in his mind at the words was... wonderful. And as always, the unknown person he envisioned in his daydreams had a long, chestnut colored braid, luminous blue-violet eyes that contrasted beautifully with a knee-weakening smile. Realizing where his thoughts had gone, Heero mentally scolded himself for letting his fantasy flourish. "You're setting yourself up for a lot of pain," he mumbled to himself. Then putting such thoughts behind him, he taped the picture up onto this wall in its correct place, completing the right side of the puzzle. It was now two thirds complete. He studied what was there and decided that, wherever the location was, it was just as appealing to him as the words printed on the back of each card.

His mind drifted to the near future, when the last card would arrive. Would it reveal the sender as they'd all hoped? Several scenarios, all of which were surprisingly pleasant, came to his mind and that in and of itself shocked him. He was normally a suspicious, pragmatic person due to his training. By nature he should be on his guard, on the defensive and maybe even angry that someone would pursue him in such a clandestine manner. He wondered if the pictures depicting a place of calm and serenity had led his mind to the pleasant conclusions his thoughts veered towards instead of upping the security around the palace and his room in particular. He thought that maybe the pictures and the implied invitation somehow made love and acceptance seem... attainable. Was it the words themselves or could it be that he had finally gotten past the war and his training enough that he was ready for the kind of relationship the words alluded to? No one but Relena knew, from their many intimate conversations, how much he wanted to be loved and accepted. In the long run, it was probably that very desire that led him to have his fantasies that were always Duo centered. Could he fall for a stranger, even of such a romantic nature, when his heart always yearned for another? 

Shaking his head, not able to answer his own questions, he decided he'd spent enough of his day with this foolishness. He turned away from the wall and its six invitations taped in place and steeled himself to face Relena and her inevitable questions.

.

Four days later a storm front that would later be termed 'The Storm of the Century' rolled in. Rain fell in sheets and torrents while the wind blew furious and constant, causing trees to fall and power lines to collapse.

Schools and businesses as well as government offices were forced to close as people huddled in their dark homes and listened to their battery operated radios telling the latest weather forecast and issuing a warning for all citizens to remain inside until the storm's fury decreased.

With no power, heat, light, television or computer available in the palace, Heero, Relena, Zechs and a few of the live-in staff were left to entertain themselves during the emergency. Flashlights provided limited lighting to the small group huddled in one of the formal sitting rooms in front of a blazing fire that roared in the fireplace during the second day of the storm.

"Well, as nice as the break from business has been," Zechs drawled, bundled up in sweats and a thick robe. "I'm getting ridiculously bored from the lack of something to do."

"Serves us right for being so dependant on electronics and electricity," Relena yawned, snuggling further into her blanket she'd cocooned herself in.

"There must be a game or something we can play," Inka said. "How about charades?" 

"We played that yesterday," Heero said in a bland voice. 

Relena and Zechs exchanged a knowing look before the young woman spoke, her eyes and smile turning to Heero. "And I would never have guessed that you would be so terrible at it."

"I guess that means poker is out," Zechs said, also looking at Heero, then to Relena for conformation.

"That game is certainly not very fun, especially when Heero wins every hand," Relena sulked prettily.

"I had a good teacher," Heero replied, thinking of Duo once again and quickly diverting his thoughts elsewhere.

"We could do some organizing and dusting," Inka said hopefully.

"NO!" The three answered firmly.

"Absolutely no housework," Relena added, specifically addressing the older woman. "If everyone else has the day off, so should the rest of us." 

"No work and all play makes us lazy," the self proclaimed workaholic replied, pulling her wool sweater closer together as the chill in the room grew stronger.

A few moments of silence passed before Heero spoke up in a tentative voice. "Once while staying in a safehouse we had several days without electricity," he began and all eyes turned expectantly to him. "We were all on edge and not used to just sitting and doing nothing. Duo seemed to be the one most affected. As a teenager, he had a lot of restless energy. He suggested we play a game he'd played at the orphanage he'd been in. He explained that on L-2 they were often left in the dark with no power due to the frequent breakdown of that colony's systems, and the nun who was in charge of them suggested a game she played as a child."

"What's the game, Heero?" Relena asked softly, knowing that talking about the past and Duo in particular was both hard and yet cathartic for her best friend.

"Hide and seek," he replied with a smile that reflected his memory of the game they'd played in the safehouse was a good one.

"I think the last time I played that game was when I was ten," Milliardo commented, a faint smile on his face at his own memories.

"Let's play!" Relena said, her eyes lighting up with anticipation.

Inka looked skeptical. "We'll never find each other with so many rooms to hide in," she stated.

"We'll limit where we can hide," Heero replied. "How about the downstairs rooms, excluding the kitchen."

"Not it!" Relena called out a scant second before Milliardo called out the same words.

"Huh?" Heero looked surprised, his eyes followed the brother and sister as they turned to the older woman.

"You're it, Inka," the Foreign Minister announced with a smile on his handsome face. It was evident he'd taken Heero's grunt as his "not it".

The afternoon was spent in adolescent fun that made the otherwise gloomy day pass pleasantly and the simple game did much to restore youthful feelings to three of the four whose younger years had been filled with war and sorrows.

It wasn't until that evening when the three sat at the kitchen table that was lit by hurricane lamps. Present with them were the other eight members of the household staff who lived full time at the palace. It was during the simple meal that Heero realized the mail and his expected postcard hadn't come because of the storm.

"Do you think the mail will be able to come tomorrow?" he asked Milliardo, sitting to his right.

The tall blond man shared an amused look with his sister before answering. "You just remembered, didn't you?" He waited until Heero nodded. "I don't know," he answered. "If not, it will make the anticipation all that much sweeter." 

Heero scowled, and with a derisive snort said, "I think you've been stung by the romance bug." 

Milliardo shrugged, a smile on his face. "Nothing wrong with romance, Heero."

"I looked the song up on the Internet," Relena said, and all eyes at the table turned to her. "Do you want to know what the next card will say?"

Heero paused, looking at the bits of corn that floated on the surface of the brown broth soup while he thought about his answer. If Relena told him the next few stanzas of the song, maybe the nervous feeling he had in the pit of his belly would go away. On the other hand, he attributed that feeling to being excited anticipation and it was a new experience for him, one that he wanted to experience again. "No," he answered simply, then carefully lifted a spoonful of broth and vegetables to his mouth.

"You're sure?" Relena persisted.

"Positive."

"It's really short."

"Relena," Milliardo cut in. "Leave him be. He said no already. Leave it at that."

The young woman huffed and turned her eyes to her own bowl and mumbled, "Spoiled sport."

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly enough with candlelight flickering over the Monopoly game board. The residents of the Sanq Palace called it an early night and retired to their rooms as the storm continued to howl and the rain raged against the palace.

The storm carried on half way through the next day, leaving the city's road crews scrambling to clean up the mess left in its wake, hoping to clear the roads so that businesses and government offices could be up and functioning as quickly as possible.

The awaited postcard came two days late and well past the hour of normal delivery along with a mass of other mail that had been held back. It was late evening when Inka knocked rapidly on Heero's door. With her face flushed from hurrying up the stairs, she handed the picture postcard over to him. "Short and sweet this time, Mr. Yuy," she said. Heero gave her his thanks and wished her a good night before shutting the door.

Staring down at the seventh picture, he noted it had showed only more vineyard and green hill that loomed in the background behind it. It was the missing piece to the left side of the puzzle.

Flipping the card over, he read the message.

SO ALL I ASK IS FOR YOU

TO COME.

COME AWAY WITH ME IN THE NIGHT

It was marked Vienna, Austria, which was closer still. And though the phrase was a repeated one, it seemed like an entreating invitation to him.

Moving across the room to his desk, he followed the ritual of taping the seventh picture up with the others. He had no doubt the next picture would fill the space on the bottom of the puzzle and that it would show the vineyard and stream. It was the ninth picture he was anticipating. It would give him the answers he sought, and maybe, if fate was kind, the person he needed.

He sighed as he placed the picture in his hands against the wall and taped it in place. At least with the long delay of this card the next one's arrival would seem much shorter and would arrive in only two days.

Relena and Milliardo were watching him. He could feel their curiosity boring into him. He'd intercepted the postman at the end of the driveway and gathered the mail from him. The card was found in the middle of the thick stack and he'd observed and read the short message before returning to the palace. After leaving the remaining mail with Relena, he returned to his room and placed it in its spot on the bottom of the square of pictures on his wall.

The song was now complete, yet there was one picture left to arrive and fill in the empty spot.

"Well?" Surprisingly, it was Milliardo who spoke first, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"It came," he told the curious siblings as he flipped through a catalogue of surveillance equipment.

"It said 'Come away with me', right?" Relena said, smiling happily. Heero gave her a perplexed look. "Remember, I looked it up."

He nodded, recalling her saying that. "It was postmarked Luxembourg."

"How many cards are left?" Milliardo asked, sitting forward in his chair with interest.

"One," Relena answered in unison with her bodyguard and friend.

There was a shared moment of silence, each of the three mentally speculating what the last picture would reveal. What would the message on the back say now that the song was finished?

"Five days suddenly seems like a very long time from now," Relena said, her eyes looking sympathetically towards her friend.

Heero shrugged one shoulder, appearing casually dismissive about the whole situation and inwardly congratulating himself for managing to do so. "I'm a patient man," he said. But in direct contradiction to his words and appearance was his stomach, which felt like a mobile suit battle was being waged within it. He could not understand the nervousness or the overwhelming sense of anticipation he was experiencing at the thought of what the last card would hold. He hoped to learn the identity of the sender and wondered what that information would eventually lead to. Then the lingering hope snuck through his defenses again, hoping for the conclusion that would coincide with his ever-present daydreams of a certain American. His more pragmatic side spoke up loudly in warning. 'It could be a stalker. Don't hope for too much. What if it's a pot-bellied old geezer, an alcoholic or a sadist or any number of negative types of people you'd have no attraction to? Don't get your hopes up that it's the one person you want it to be.' 

A hand on his arm startled him from his thoughts and he looked up into Relena's concerned face. He realized he'd let his guard down and his train of thought must have been reflected on his face. No words passed between the two friends, only understanding. Though it had been infrequently spoken of, Relena knew where his heart and hopes lay. Seeing she was worried about him, he gave her a small, reassuring smile, showing her he was all right. The subject was dropped and the minutes passing from that moment until the next estimated due date for the arrival of the last card seemed to stretch out endlessly.

The fifth day after the last card arrived dawned brightly. The morning air was cool and crisp and filled with the earthy scent brought on by the previous night's rain shower. Heero's eyes opened as the first hint of light entered through his window. 'Today's the day,' was his first thought and he noticed his heart rate was slightly elevated. He allowed himself a moment to relish the rare feeling of excited anticipation before he rose from his bed and began his morning ablutions.

He donned his black suit as Relena was scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting at the Commerce Department. She assured him they would return in time to greet the postman. But the best of plans are laid to waste by the words of garrulous, pontificating politicians.

The breakfast was waylaid by an impromptu invitation for the long-winded Mrs. Rosalinda Santiago, who happened to be visiting that day and showed up unannounced to the meeting to say a few words to the group of business men. Heero inwardly groaned. Twice in two months was too much to ask of him. Their departure from the meeting ended up being much later than they had planned, and even then, they had to give their apologies to the event's host at leaving before the meeting concluded.

The downtown traffic from the Commerce Department to the palace proved to be a nightmare, causing the limousine driver to look back in his rearview mirror nervously as Heero once again cursed the overly long car and wishing, not for the first time, that he had a motorcycle stashed in the trunk.

Relena sat close to her agitated friend and soothingly stroked his hand. "The mail isn't going to sprout legs and run off, Heero," she gently chided. "It will be there when we get home. I asked Mill to keep an eye out for it."

Heero glanced at her suspiciously, his irritation at their delay was showing. "And how many people are set up on your speed dial for the moment after I put the puzzle together?"

Relena blushed, looking guilty. "Only a few," she confessed. 

"Let me guess," Heero said lifting his hand to count his fingers for each named person. "Dorothy." Relena nodded and one of his fingers stood up. "Noin." That brought up the second finger. "Sally, who will no doubt call Wufei, Quatre, who will tell Trowa and all of his twenty nine sisters not to mention the multitude of Maguanacs and servants." 

Relena nodded, knowing he was correct in his assumptions. He had six fingers held up, having included Quatre's sisters and the Maguanacs as one. "Have I missed anyone?" he asked, churlishly.

Clearing her throat in a dainty manner, Relena answered. "My mother, Milliardo, if he's not around, several of the household staff including Inka, Hilde Howard and the Sweepers and some of my friends from my former school."

"What!" Heero's eyes widened at the number of people Relena was about to tell his secret to, his cheeks were burning with embarrassment. "Why don't you just call the press to let them in on it too?"

"You know I wouldn't do that to you," she replied, looking and feeling very hurt by his insinuation that she'd be such an unfaithful friend.

"We've talked about this before, Relena. This is my personal business, my life. What part of private don't you understand?" He threw up his hands, a very uncharacteristic gesture for him, then flopped himself back into the plush leather seat. He was obviously not himself.

"You're impossible to talk to when you're like this," she complained, defensively wrapping her arms across her stomach.

At the moment, Heero didn't care what Relena thought. He sensed that his future was hanging in the balance and it was making him irritable and cross. He just needed to get back to the palace, to his room, and get his postcard. From the moment of reading the last message, he knew his life would either change drastically or he would see the end of the romantic invitations, and the last forty-five days would just be consigned to the past as a pleasant, harmless interlude in his otherwise boring existence. Stifling silence filled the large limousine for the remainder of the ride home.

Twenty minutes later the car pulled up to the front door of the palace and Heero sprung from the car and raced up the front steps, leaving the driver to open the door for Relena. He made a beeline for Milliardo's office, knowing Relena had him intercept the highly anticipated postcard.

The tall blond and his secretary appeared to be out of the office. Heero took the liberty of going through the neat stacks of notes and mail on both desks but didn't find what he was looking for. He turned to leave the office only to run into Relena, whose eyes went from his hands to the empty room behind him.

"Your brother is out and there's no postcard," he brusquely informed her.

She lifted her wrist then glanced at her watched and said, "Dining hall." She turned on her heel and began to walk in the direction of that particular room. Heero quickly caught up to her and they walked together to the well-used room and found the platinum haired man sitting amongst the familiar faces of his office staff as they took their noontime meal together. 

Milliardo raised his head at the sound of their approaching footsteps and saw the earnest look on both of their faces. He excused himself and stood to intercept them. In a low voice he spoke to the both of them as they met. "It didn't come," he said with a look of sympathy that was directed towards Heero.

"You're sure?" Heero asked, feeling his hopes begin to crash. "You checked with the postman?"

"I had Jeffries chase after him and he re-checked his pouch. It wasn't there."

Relena frowned. "This had better not be some cruel joke played at Heero's expense," she hissed, her anger rising.

"Maybe something happened and it's just a day late?" Milliardo suggested. "It could have been misplaced at the postal station. That's happened before."

Heero stood still while the two siblings began to speculate as to what could have happened to the missing postcard. Breathing in deeply to gather his thoughts, he looked up, meeting their gazes. "I'm going to my room to change," he announced. He then turned and with brisk footsteps left the room, leaving Relena and her brother to watch him go with worry displayed on their faces.

"If the person that sent those cards intended to hurt him," Relena began, narrowing her eyes, "I'll track him down and he'll rue the day he was ever born."

"Nice talk from the world's spokesperson for pacifism," the tall blond man said with a smirk, then moved quickly to avoid the sharp jab of Relena's elbow.

"You know what I mean," she said, not able to keep from returning her brother's teasing smile.

"I know." Milliardo put his arm around her shoulders. "I feel the same way. Heero deserves some happiness of his own."

With a sigh, the young woman rested her head on her brother's strong shoulder before she remembered where she was and realized from the complete silence in the room that they had an audience. 

"I think I better get some food and then take a plate to Heero. The breakfast this morning was less than satisfying." She stepped out of her brother's embrace. "I cleared my afternoon calendar, anticipating the last card arriving."

"Maybe we can do something fun together," the blond man suggested, catching Relena's attention as they began to move towards the buffet table together. "You, me and Heero."

"I'll ask," she replied, not too hopeful that Heero would want to go anywhere with his mind so distracted.

She wasn't really very hungry, so she put only salad and cut up fruit on her plate with the intention of eating quickly and then grabbing a plate of food and taking it upstairs to console her friend.

Unlocking the door to his room, Heero stepped in and tossed the suit jacket he'd taken off while climbing the staircase onto the chair by the door. He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting back a strong wave of disappointment. 'Foolish to have gotten your hopes up,' the voice in his head scolded. Of all the possibilities that had come to his mind about this day, he'd never envisioned the last picture postcard not showing up.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he composed himself, then opened his eyes to look at his room, his home. They immediately caught sight of an object on his bed that hadn't been there when he'd left that morning. Quickly moving towards it, he observed a large white and bulging envelope, conspicuous as it lay on top of his dark blue comforter. With caution that came as natural to him as breathing, he gently picked it up and examined it, trying to ascertain if it carried an explosive device. He felt through the envelope, but other than the rounded outline of some object inside, he couldn't tell what was contained within. He took meticulous care in unsealing the package and opening it. Peering inside, he smiled and tilted the envelope to spill the contents out onto his comforter. Out of it fell a picture post card, a slender CD player and headphones.

With a careful look around the room, he determined his living space to be secure. No one else was present and there seemed to be no forced entry. He let go of the puzzle of how the package made it into his room and picked up the card.

As predicted, the last piece of the nine picture puzzle showed the structure that had been hinted at and that it wasn't just a cabin as he'd imagined but a beautiful ranch-style house with a red-tile roof. The exterior surface was painted white with large front windows that would allow the owner to gaze out at the surrounding beauty nature provided. His eyes strained to make out the small figure that sat on the porch and in a chair that was tilted back on two legs. One of the person's legs rested on the porch and the other one stretched out to the hand railing. A smile grew on his face as he picked out what looked to be a rope dangling from the back of the chair.

Quickly flipping the card over, he read the last line of the song, boldly printed in the now familiar handwriting.

COME AWAY WITH ME.

Beneath it was another message, and Heero's eyes devoured each word.

LISTEN TO THE SONG AND IF YOU CAN ACCEPT MY INVITATION, MEET ME AT THE PEACE GARDEN TONIGHT AT SUNSET, AT THE CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND. IF YOU'RE NOT THERE BY DUSK, I'LL KNOW YOU'RE NOT COMING. DM

Heero sat down heavily on the edge of his bed. There were so many feelings and emotions coursing through him he felt almost dizzy. He felt stunned, ecstatic, hopeful, excited, scared and relieved, all at the same time. This was so typically Duo, he thought, to beat around the bush for forty-five days to get to the point.

A timid knock sounded on his door. "Heero, I've brought you some lunch. Please let me in," Relena called out through the closed door.

He quickly moved from the bed and ran the short distance to the door. He literally flung it open, surprising Relena so much that the plate of food in her hand was almost dropped to the carpeted floor. She managed to recover then looked up, surprised not to see the expression of disappointment she'd anticipated, but unadulterated joy radiating from her friend's face.

Holding up the post card in his hand, Heero announced. "He broke into my room and left this." He took Relena by the arm and dragged her into his room and shut the door behind her. Still holding onto her, he then propelled the stunned girl over to his bed where the contents of the envelope lay.

Taking the card from his hand, a smile grew on her own face as a result of the infectious grin on Heero's. It was irresistible. He took the plate of food from her hand and set it on the bed table, then nodded for her to read the card. She did, and when Relena finished, she lifted her head and her smile matched his joyful one.

Flinging herself at him, Relena embraced her happy friend. "Oh, Heero. I'm so happy for you," she said as tears of joy quickly pooled in her blue eyes.

"I'm meeting him tonight," he announced as he held her tightly. He felt her head nod against his shoulder, stating that she understood.

"And you're going away with him, aren't you?"

Gently pulling away from their embrace, Heero looked into the young woman's face. "You don't need me here any longer, Relena, and I really want to take this chance to find happiness. I really think I can find it with Duo even though I can hardly believe that he wants me too. I need to find out if what I've felt for him all this time, and hopefully what he feels for me, is where happiness will begin for me." He gave her a look of apology. "I have to give you my resignation, effective immediately. I'm sorry to leave you, though. You've been a good friend to me, Relena. I can never properly thank you for helping me to be more than the person I was after the war."

Relena was now openly crying and trying to smile at the same time. "I'm so happy for you. Go, with my best wishes. Just let me do one last thing for you."

Heero tilted his head to the side, curious about the request, but knowing he couldn't really refuse Relena anything, especially considering all she'd been to him and done for him. He nodded his head.

"Let me take you to the park tonight, to see you off."

Heero smiled, relieved that she hadn't asked for something he couldn't grant. "That would be nice," he replied, leaning forward to once again embrace the girl who had been his family since the end of the wars. He kissed the top of her head as she held tightly to him. "I won't drop out of your life, Relena. You'll always be my friend. We'll visit as often as we can."

"Thank you, Heero. I couldn't bear to lose you completely," she replied, sounding relieved. With a final sigh, she took control of her emotions and stepped out of his arms. "Now," she began, taking command of herself and the situation. "Let's get you packed then break the news to my brother." She then stopped as if she'd forgotten something. "Have you listened to the CD yet?"

"No." Heero then turned to the portable player and opened the case. He took out the CD, noting the only label was a white strip with the printed words "Come Away With Me" written on it. Moving to his stereo system, he turned the power on, set the CD in and started the player.

The sound of a soft piano and the brushing of a drum's skin began and were followed by a man's soft voice singing the soulful words that had been printed on picture postcards. Heero recognized the singer immediately. "That's Duo," he told Relena, his eyes and smile growing warm again as everything began to come into focus. The wars were over and boy he'd secretly lost his heart to was now a man and he was singing his invitation for Heero to begin a new life with him.

COME AWAY WITH ME AND WE'LL KISS ON A MOUNTAIN TOP.

COME AWAY WITH ME AND I'LL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU.

The soft and mellow sound of a jazz guitar came in as Heero went to his closet and got out his largest suitcase and opened it on the top of his bed.

Relena began to empty out the drawers of his dresser, packing socks, boxers, t-shirts. She put them in the suitcase just as the song ended. She and Heero looked at each other after the last note of the song faded. With bright eyes and a shaky smile, she said, "I never thought Duo could be so romantic. I envy you, Heero."

"I envy me, too," he replied with a quirky grin that eased into a genuine and dazzling smile for her. The sight of it suddenly made Relena envious of Duo, that he was the person to bring out those rare and precious smiles from her closest friend.

An hour later, Milliardo began to worry when neither Heero nor Relena returned downstairs. When they failed to answer their cell phones, he climbed the staircase and went to Heero's door. Putting his ear against it, he thought he detected music and Relena's laughter. He rapped his knuckles against the wood. "It's Mill," he called out. "Can I come in?"

He heard a dual-toned answer to the affirmative and opened the door to see two suitcases and a duffle bag next to the door and Relena and Heero both dressed casually, in their stockinged feet, and laying side by side on top of his Queen sized bed. The smile on their faces showed that something significant had happened. He closed the door behind him and went to join them, anxiously wanting to learn what had transpired.

The sun ebbed slowly towards the western horizon and a dark, expensive sedan stopped short of its destination. Heero opened the back door and got out of the car. He stood at the side of the road and looked down the gentle slope of the park which was dotted with well manicured shrubs and bushes. At the bottom of the hillside was the children's play area with swings, monkey bars and tubes for climbing through, all marked off by a protecting cyclone fence. Several children were in the process of being led away from their fun, kicking and screaming as their parents deemed it was getting dark and time to go home. He found a smile growing on his face as he spotted the lone man that stood out in contrast to the little people the area was initially intended to entertain. He sat with his back to him in one of the swings, his long braid trailing down past the rubber seat he rested on, and he moved the swing slightly with his feet implanted in the sand as he waited for an answer to his invitation.

"Heero!" Relena called out for him as her window opened and her hand reached out towards him. He stepped closer to take hold of it. "Good luck," she said, her eyes bright with moisture she refused to give into.

"Bring Duo up here so we can say hello," Milliardo said from his place in the driver's seat.

Heero squeezed Relena's hand gently, smiled at her brother, then turned to meet his future.

He forced himself to walk down the hill, his eyes devouring each aspect of the man waiting for him. Duo was dressed in tan dress pant and a light blue shirt that was open at the collar. Heero grinned to himself knowing his postcard Romeo had dressed up for the occasion. He felt a surprising sense of relief at seeing the long braid trailing down Duo's back. It seemed like such an intrinsic part of him and had honestly fueled many of Heero's guilty fantasies.

As he neared, Duo sensed his approach and turned his head around. The unforgettable blue-violet eyes widened as they met his own, followed almost instantly by a two hundred watt smile. He stood from the swing and went to the entrance of the children's area to meet him.

And as they came face to face, it seemed as if the world stopped spinning, that all of nature held its breath as each young man's eyes took in all the changes in the other and both of them found the changes to be more than pleasing.

Duo had grown, Heero realized, but stood only an inch taller than his own five foot, six inch frame. His face had matured, but took nothing away from his being handsome. There was a moment of awkwardness as each waited for some inspiration on how to begin. 

"You kept your hair long," Heero said at last with a pleased grin.

Duo pulled the long plait of hair over his shoulder and glanced fondly down at it. "Yeah, I'm kind of attached to it."

"Me too," Heero admitted and felt himself blush with a sudden feeling of bashfulness.

Duo looked up, surprised at that revelation. "Really? I remember you telling me it was impractical."

Heero shrugged, recalling those words he'd uttered in anger when he'd had to brush out all of the tangles after Duo had been injured on a mission. "It might have been impractical at times," he began, "but it's certainly fueled a lot of... ." He stopped short, realizing what he'd just about blurted out, then ducked his head, embarrassed, wondering what in the world was wrong with him, almost saying something like that.

A crooked grin graced Duo's handsome face. "Hum... That's nice to know," he replied.

The stood there quietly taking in each other, neither one quite sure how to proceed. Finally, Duo reached into the inner pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out an envelope containing a long envelope and two tickets, which he shoved towards Heero.

Taking them, Heero scanned the information. The airline tickets were for two and would take the both of them from Sanq to London, then to Chicago, Illinois, and finally arriving in Los Angeles, California. Looking up, he smiled at the nervous man in front of him. "We wondered where the vineyard was. Is it yours?"

Duo nodded. "I bought it lock, stock and barrel about a year ago and I've spent all this time trying to figure out how to run it."

Heero looked curious at his former comrade. "You've obviously been traveling for the last forty-five days, can you leave it unattended that long?"

"I've got a Steward, sort of a vineyard manager," Duo shrugged. "He kind of came with the place and he's teaching me everything he knows, at a price of course." He smiled again and Heero felt himself powerless not to return it.

"I'll have to thank him," Heero said.

"Personally?" Duo asked. The conversation finally drifted to the topic that brought them there.

Heero studied the face of his fantasies, older now, yet still so appealing. He had so many questions to ask but he didn't quite know how to start.

Duo seemed to understand and he gave Heero a slightly lopsided smile. "I guess you want to know why I did all of this," he said.

Heero nodded, his eyes never leaving Duo's. "Why now? Why me? Why did you leave and not contact us?"

Running his hands over his braid, which Heero noted was a sign that his friend felt insecure, Duo spoke quietly as he began. "We both knew there was an... attraction between us during the wars, right?" He stopped and waited for Heero to acknowledge the fact with a nod, then continued. "I was confused by it. I didn't have any experience with relationships other than that of being friends, so I felt like I a fish out of water, and that scared me. When I saw that Relena liked you and that you seemed to have some sort of bond with her, I realized all the things she could offer you that I couldn't. Hell, I was a homeless kid with nowhere to go after the fighting was over." He reached up and scratched the area where his braid began, indicating to Heero that Duo was uncomfortable with the subject. "You had Relena offering you a fancy home, cars, money and anything you could ever want. So when the war was over, I thought I was doing us both a favor by going back to L-2 with Hilde." He looked up with doleful eyes. "But I never forgot about you, Heero. No matter how I tried, I couldn't get you out of my head." 

"But you left Hilde. Why?" Heero asked.

Nodding, Duo continued. "Hilde was a good friend and took me in when I didn't have anywhere else to go. We worked together in the salvage yard and things were good for a short time. But she decided she wanted more from our relationship than just friendship. I tried to explain to her that I didn't feel anything more than that for her; I even hinted that my heart lay elsewhere. She was convinced that she could win me over." Heero noticed then that Duo's cheeks turned red. "I decided to give in and sleep with her, thinking maybe I could convince myself that I wasn't gay. But my heart just wasn't into it and I... disappointed her. She guessed what the problem was and gave me the cold shoulder, saying I used her." He shrugged his shoulders, looking a bit lost and guilty at the same time. "I don't know, maybe I did."

He sighed deeply, as if cleansing the bitter memory from his mind. "That was about the time I took a good look at my life. I realized I didn't want to spend my life in a junkyard. It was a decent way to make a living but I knew that if I really wanted you in my life, I couldn't impress you with my lifestyle or ask you to leave the one you had with Relena to come live a mediocre life with me. I knew I had to change, evolve into someone you'd like to be around, someone you'd respect and be willing to leave a grand palace and fancy cars for. So I set off for Earth and began a journey that led me to what I'm doing now."

Heero look incredulous as he said, "You did that for me?"

"At first," Duo answered with a shrug. "But I knew there was a risk that you might have moved on, and despite the fact that I caught you ogling me during the war, I had to wonder if you were even gay when the newspapers had you linked up with Relena as the latest hot couple. So you see I began my journey with you as an incentive but I knew in the long run it was really for me. I wanted and needed something more to make my life worthwhile. If by some good fortune you did swing my way, that you could care for me and we had a chance of ending up together, as far fetched as that seemed, it would be the cherry on top of all my hopes and dreams."

Heero smile, agreeing with Duo's sentiments. "So now you're a vintner, owner of your own vineyard," Heero stated. "I never would have guessed that to be an occupation for you."

Duo chuckled. "I came into it by accident really. After I landed back on Earth, I traveled around a lot and ended up in California. It like the fact that it didn't have the humidity or severe weather that the east coast of the U.S. has and I'd had enough of cold temperatures on L-2 to last a lifetime. I discovered that I liked the moderate climate, the rolling hills and oak trees California offered, so I looked around for an investment for the money I had left over in my accounts from the war and my inheritance from Professor G. I drove through wine country to the North and saw this Spanish-style of home placed on the top of a hillside with a for sale sign at the bottom of the driveway. Damn, if I didn't fall I completely in love with the place. It's nestled on a rolling hill and surrounded by mountains in a place called The Valley of the Moon." His eyes were lit with excitement as he added, "It's perfect, Heero."

The former Wing pilot couldn't help but smile at the elated expression on Duo's face. He knew from the time they'd spent together during the war that Duo had a fascination with the moon glowing eerily high above the Earth. They'd spent many evenings together looking up at it in its many phases as they spoke of their lives before the war and their hopes for a life after it was over. It was during those rare and quiet moments that were spent lying on a roof, a rock, on grass or the deck of Howard's ship that he began to fall in love with the orphaned pilot of the gundam Deathscythe. He came back from his reverie as Duo began speaking again.

"And then you went and told everyone you were gay and not involved with Relena." Duo smiled as he chuckled with amusement. "Suddenly I had hope again, but it was stalled when the papers linked to you every guy in the universe and his dog. I got to thinking then that you might be involved with someone, so I waited. If you were with someone, I assumed I'd find out because the media was bound to make a circus of it. When nothing, or rather no one substantial popped up in the gossip pages link with you, I decided it was time to make my approach, hoping that my feelings for you would be returned." Duo then stopped speaking and his eyes sought out Heero's, searching for his own answers as to what Heero felt about him and his romantic pursuit.

Lifting his hand up to cup Duo's cheek, his thumb gently stroking the faint blush there, Heero answered his unasked question. "Your feelings are returned, Duo. I've cared for and wanted you for a very long time."

Hope sprung up in the braided man's eyes and his words were rushed as he spoke. "Then you'll come home with me, Heero? I can't promise it will be perfect, or that I can give you everything you deserve, but I'm willing to do my best."

"I'm a simple man, Duo." Blue eyes drowned in the depths of blue-violet. "My needs are few and I'm almost certain that you alone can fill them. I'm packed and ready to go," Heero informed the long lost American while his heart tripped wildly in his chest.

The braided man took in a quick breath of air before letting it come out with a whispered, "Thank my lucky stars."

Then moving on instinct and emotion, the two young men drew closer to each other, their faces coming near enough to share each other's breath. Heero's arms rose up to encircle Duo's back and in perfect synchronicity their heads tilted in opposite directions, just slightly, and then at long last their lips met. 

As their mouths moved gently against each other's, cautiously and tenderly discovering the shared sensations the kiss brought, the bond of friendship already in place between the them blossomed into something different, something more for the two who had waited for so long for this moment to happen.

Relena had gotten out of the car to stand next to it, watching wistfully and with a prayer in her heart as the two star-crossed lovers spoke. She'd been nervous at the length of time that passed as their conversation continued with no physical contact taking place. But she found herself heartened when Heero's hand came to rest on Duo's cheek.

She held her breath as she observed the two slowly come together to share what she knew to be their first kiss. A tear escaped at last and rolled down her cheek. She bit down on her bottom lip as she watched Duo's arms come up to embrace Heero. An arm went around her shoulders and she looked up into her brother's face, bearing an expression of sympathy.

"I'm not sad," she told him with a watery smile. "It's just... beautiful."

"We're all suckers for a happy ending, aren't we?" Milliardo smiled gently down on her.

"He deserves it," she answered, her eyes turning back to the two men below. "They both do." The siblings waited together, leaning against the car as they watched the distant kiss between the two men come to an end. 

Heero took Duo's hand in his own and led his postcard lover up the hill to make their hellos and goodbyes. After all, they had a plane to catch that night and a life to build together in a place known as The Valley of the Moon.

The End. 

Thanks to all who commented by review or e-mail. I appreciate your kind words. A little fluff is just what I needed this week. I hope you found some enjoyment in the story also. I have an idea for a epilogue, but I have yet to type it, so I guess we'll see if it happens or not.


	4. epilogue Sunrise

Epilogue to An Invitation

By: Dyna

Sunrise

Warning: Happy ending in progress. Not in the mood? Don't read.

Coming slowly to a sense of awareness, his internal clock told him it was well into the day. Rolling over from off his stomach to his back, he felt the ache in his arms and lower back muscles as they complained about the long hours of grueling work he'd been put them through.

The soft sound of raindrops on the gutters and deck outside the bedroom window was a further reminder as to why his body was in less than top condition. All the rush, strain and frantic work had happened because of this impending storm, coming at a very inopportune time.

Reaching an arm out, he was a bit disappointed but not surprised to find the space next to his own empty, the sheets cool to the touch. He sighed with regret at the absence there, then moved to stretch his body, feeling once again all the sore muscles he'd acquired from the hard physical labor of the last three days. A slow smile spread across his handsome face as he realized that all his efforts and lingering soreness had been worth it.

Hearing movement in another area of the house, his smile deepened. His lover was no doubt up to his usual romantic tricks. He'd come to expect some form of reciprocation from the man who held his heart whenever he took time away from his job in the city to help him in the vineyard. The last three days had been nothing short of hell, but he was sure he was about to be compensated for it.

It was harvest time, the grapes were only days away from reaching their full, robust maturity, ready to be picked and sent to the wholesale market. Then came the ill-timed forecast for rain and the mad rush to beat it. In a flurry of activity, they'd gathered all Duo's hired workers and any of their extended family willing to earn some quick money in order to harvest the grapes before the rain came. Any significant amount of rain this close to the harvest would cause the grapes to burst, ruining the flavor and quality of the crop. So for three days he and his partner had worked alongside their hired hands, many of them non-English speaking Hispanics, some legal and others not, all of them hard workers. 

He'd called into Dreamwaker, the digital arts studio he worked at in Marin County, and took a few of his sick days in order to stay home and help. Despite the long hours and grueling work in the fields, he'd enjoyed every minute that he'd spent with his lover of four months.

It hardly seemed possible that four months ago he'd been living and working half a world away. His life had dramatically changed at the arrival of postcards with a simple hand-written invitation by a then mysterious person to 'Come Away'. He could hardly believe that his most heartfelt wish was fulfilled when he found the writer of those romantic cards was the one person he'd longed for.

He was right when he'd told Relena that going with Duo could be his chance at finding happiness. Without a doubt, he was happier than he'd ever been in his life. And if Relena thought the postcards were romantic, she had yet to learn the true meaning of the word. He'd enlightened her, by way of their many phone and e-mail conversations, that his lover was a born romantic and he was more than happy to be the recipient of Duo's romantic nature.

Since his arrival to the home on the hill, he'd enjoyed moonlight walks, usually ending up in a secluded part of the vineyard where blankets had been laid out with food, drinks, soft music or massage oil awaiting them. They'd spent many a warm evening on that blanket with the stars above them blinking brightly in cloudless skies as they continued to discover each other. 

The double hammock at the back of the house was also a gift he'd received from Duo. It comfortably held the both of them on other lazy summer nights as they stargazed and talked of their lives, past and present. Special treats, computer programs, clothing and gardening tools for his newly discovered talent, were always presented to him in clever ways.

He in turn, proved to be a quick study in the subject of romance. With such a good example to follow, he found himself searching the internet and stores for gadgets, gizmos, clothing and treats for the man he left at home five days a week as he went to work in the city. Each gift was carefully selected and was received enthusiastically, making any effort he'd put into the finding and purchasing of the gift more than worth it.

Though they'd hit a few bumps in their new relationship, he was satisfied with the progress they'd made. He was as close to being as happy as he believed a man could be, and it was no wonder his friends' expressions displayed shock when they called to chat on the vid phone. It appeared that they weren't used to him smiling as much as now did.

Hearing the sound of slippered feet approaching the bedroom door, he quickly closed his eyes and relaxed the muscles of his face in order to hide his smile.

A slight creak of the door, that he had forgotten to fix, announced the return of his lover. Though Duo had been a terrorist and thief and knew how to move silently, Heero could sense his movement toward the bedside table. The soft sound of a tray being set down on the bedside table told him Duo had most likely brought him breakfast in bed, or maybe lunch considering the day was more than half over.

He kept up his pretense of being asleep, not wanting to spoil whatever surprise Duo was up to. He recognized the soft snapping sound on the latches of the guitar case being opened, and his smile became harder to hide.

It didn't happen often, but when they had a day home together, Duo would sometimes play his guitar, displaying his newly acquired talent and the results of practicing for many hours. He thought Duo had an exceptional voice and enjoyed the fact that his lover often wooed him with a private serenade.

The soft strum of the six strings signaled not the start of the chosen song, but that Duo was testing them for pitch. Knowing Duo would expect him to wake up to such a sound, he opened his eyes and immediately focused on the object of his more than considerable affections. Duo was sitting on the corner chair, wearing his knee-length, dark blue bathrobe, with his guitar on his lap and his long hair unraveled from its braid and pulled over his right shoulder. Heero thought his lover was beautiful, and at that moment he looked like a wet dream come to life. A familiar warmth began blossom in his chest as he realized once again, and with no small amount of disbelief, that the vision before him was his, all his.

He recognized that the warmth he was experiencing was centered in his heart and it spread slowly through the rest of his body at the thought that Duo was his, his lover, his partner, his friend and, if thing kept going well for them, his life companion. There was no one else in the world he needed like he needed Duo, no where he wanted to be than where he was, and at that moment, no sight on earth or the colonies more wonderful and welcome than his lover bending over his guitar, the hem of his robe riding up his wonderfully tan and trim legs.

As if sensing he was being visually devoured, Duo looked up and their eyes met. "Morning," he said, his voice warm and alluring, his smile engaging.

"What's this?" he asked, knowing full well the answer.

"Just a small thank you for helping out the last three days... and nights." The smile and honest blue eyes shined with sincerity. "Really, Heero, I appreciate your being here for me."

"There's no place I'd rather be," he answered, his eyes going back to watching the robe slowly hiking a bit higher up the slender thigh. He held himself in check, denying the growing urge he felt to get out of bed and run his hand up those thighs to find the treasure above them.

Duo smiled at him, then began to strum his guitar. The beat of the song was slow and easy, his voice smooth and sultry as he began to sing.

SUNRISE, SUNRISE

LOOKS LIKE MORNING IN YOUR EYES

BUT THE CLOCK'S HELD NINE FIFTEEN FOR HOURS.

He smiled. Duo had once again found an appropriate song for the occasion, something he excelled at. He hadn't heard this particular song before, so he guessed it was one of the older songs Howard enjoyed and had given copies of it to his favorite former gundam pilot. He liked the song already.

SUNRISE, SUNRISE

COULDN'T TEMPT US IF IT TRIED

'CAUSE THE AFTERNOON'S ALREADY COME AND GONE.

AND I SAY, OOOO, OOOO, OOOO, OOOO

TO YOU.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he took in the picture his lover presented. The width of the guitar sat in his lap, strategically hiding the body behind it, and a nice body it was, too. He enjoyed the California sun had brought to Duo's appearance. A glow of health radiated from the former thin and wiry colony brat, and Duo's once pale skin was now a touchable, kissable golden bronze tone. From hours working out in the summer-long sunshine, he had also acquired a smattering of freckles on his shoulders and nose that Heero found attractive, endearing, and absolutely sexy. The long hair that always captivated him and had so many colors of brown and red throughout, now also had a golden sheen to it from hours of being outside and kissed by the sun. 

But of all the things that he'd come to admire about the man he shared his life with, it was those wonderful hands, presently busy playing the guitar, that had once wielded Deathscythe Hell and numerous lethal weapons and now worked daily in fields, that he adored. They were probably just as calloused as they'd been during the war if not a bit more. But he didn't mind. No, not one bit. Those ten fingers, hardened from playing the guitar, and the palms of both hands made rough from good honest work, felt incredible on his skin and as they traced across his body. He decided he'd never be content with anything but a working man's hands touching him, and without a doubt, his knew it was only Duo's hands that he'd ever crave or give in to. All of the physical changes and attributes added to the already handsome package that made the man he'd dreamt about and longed for well before their separation after the wars. But no matter the dreams or how good there were, nothing compared to the reality of living with and loving Duo Maxwell. He was just glad that they both had healthy and hardy libidos that equally matched the other's.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

COULDN'T FIND IT IN YOUR EYES

BUT I'M SURE IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER MY FACE.

Well, he wasn't sure that line rang true. Every day he woke up next to the other man, each time they shared a meal together, kissed or made love, he was pleased and more than a little surprised that he ended up finding such happiness in a ranch house that sat on a hill in Northern California surrounded by acres of grapevines. It all seemed too good to be true.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

NEVER SOMETHING I COULD HIDE

WHEN I SEE WE MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.

AND I SAY, OOOO, OOOO, OOOO, OOOO

TO YOU.

Shifting again to lie on his side, still facing his lover, he rested his elbow on the mattress and his head on the upraised palm of his hand. While Duo was concentrating on the bridge of the song, his fingers working the strings, biting his lower lip as he focused on the bridge of the song, he rearranged the blankets so they draped seductively low on his hips. He told himself that he was just setting the scene to tempt his lover when he looked up. He was more than ready for Duo to finish the song and get back into bed to enjoy the rest of the day off now that the harvest was done and the rain had come.

AND NOW THE NIGHT

WILL THROW ITS COVER DOWN, OOOO... ON ME AGAIN.

UM... AND IT'S ALRIGHT

IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BRING ME BACK

OOOO, OOOO, OOOO, OOOO,

TO YOU...

The music stopped abruptly and guitar was set to the side, but his lover continued to hum the song as he stood from the chair and made his way to the bed. The last line of the song came from his lips again, and Heero knew the truth of it. He'd gotten a job in the next county and the commute was murder. But when he got home at night, the day and the world outside melted away and the night became theirs. He'd come to love the nights.

He reached towards his lover as he came to stand by the bedside, Duo's eyes showing his growing hunger as they searched his half-draped body while still humming the last line of the song. He wrapped his hand around the terrycloth and loosened the belt holding the robe together. A slight shrug of those slightly freckled shoulders and the blue robe fell forgotten to the floor. His breath caught in his throat at the beauty of the man before him; he knew that he'd never tire of viewing his lover's body. It was like looking at the statue of David, housed in Florence, Italy.

Holding up the covers as an invitation, Duo smiled seductively, threw his long hair over his shoulder and climbed in, immediately pressing his slightly chilled body up against him, chest to chest and legs immediately entwining.

"I brought you breakfast," Duo whispered in his ear as his tongue traced its outer shell, sending a shudder of delight from that point down to his groin.

"Later," he replied, his hands moving over the curves and planes of the body he worshiped on a regular basis. "I believe I'll be having dessert first."

"I like your way of thinking," Duo chuckled, pressing his hip and his obvious desire up against his own needy body.

"Besides," he continued. "We're done with the harvest, it's raining, and you're all mine."

"All yours," Duo agreed in a whisper that sounded both awed and pleased at the same time.

And Heero spent the rest of the afternoon and evening proving his claim.

End

Short but sweet, maybe a bit too sweet. I decided to take a break from the angst for a while and hope you don't mind. The song Sunrise is also from Nora Jones. Blame my family for the mellow inspiration, the CD was a gift.


End file.
